USA: Arizona Cardinals, Anheuser-Busch signed a five-year agreement

The Arizona Cardinals have recently announced they have signed a five-year agreement with Anheuser-Busch, The Business Journal posted on March 20. Under terms of the deal, Budweiser and Bud Light will serve as the exclusive alcohol sponsors of the NFL team, and the brands will have a major presence in the new Cardinals Stadium through 2010.

The popular "Budweiser Red Zone" will occupy a prominent position in the south end zone of the new stadium, marked by an 18-foot by 240-foot sign and flanked by two branded areas in the concourse. Budweiser will host the Red Zone during all Cardinals games.

Budweiser will also have a presence on the new stadium's video replay boards, scoreboard and concourses, and local wholesaler Hensley Distributing will distribute 150,000 English and 50,000 Spanish team pocket schedules.

Away from the stadium, Budweiser and Bud Light customers will recognize the company's support through advertising on all Cardinals preseason game broadcasts on TV, plus all preseason and regular season English and Spanish radio broadcasts, along with title sponsorship of "The Budweiser Big Red Rage" radio show on ESPN Radio 860.

Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

The new Cardinals Stadium is slated to be completed in time for the 2006 season.

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. (NYSE: BUD - News) operates 14 breweries, 12 of them in the U.S., and sells about 30 brands of beer. Other companies under its corporate umbrella include SeaWorld parks in San Diego, San Antonio, and Orlando, Fla.

24 March, 2006